PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1842, 30 August 1913, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

9 A DAILY SUMMARY. Owinf to tho faot that inonibors wete at the fimohoojii teudorocl to tlio British . Parliamentarians, tho Houso of lvcpresentatives clid; not resuino yest-crclay until 3.45 p.m. Aftor that tho proceedings wore, as ono member remarked, ■"somewhat disorganised." Ono of tho most amusing pieces of comedy, which looked suspiciously like a affair for tho benefit of visitors, w4s a speech in Maori by Mr. 0. 'Parata'. Under covcr of a question 'without nofcico to tho Nativo Minister, as to when tho Nativo Land Bill would be introduced, he mado a„spcech rich in imagery, faithfully translated, no doubt, about tho Treaty of Waitangi, the promises of good' fchamour given by tho Maoris then to Queen Victoria, and the promise given in rebu/m by tho Great Queen. . Another incident of the day was a statement mado by Mr; Vernon Roed on tho smallpox epidemio. It was a remarkable statement in that it contained much news about tho opidemicf and news that was 'not good to hear. . Tho effect of it was that tho disease reached horo owing eitlier to laxity on the part of the port' authorities at Auckland or to an act on the< part of tho ship's company of a steamer. Ho stated, too, and his statement was corroborated by tho Minister, that vaccination among tbo Natives had hcon to a great extent a failure, because the lymph used was ineffective. IVnally tho ■Minister admitted that the position was still serious, and he besought peoplo to get vaccinated. . „ At 4.30 p.m. the House went into Committee on tho Estimates, Tho vote was that for tho Legislativo Department, and members ' spoko of things un and around the House 'buildings. ■ i-he first complaint was about the insanitary . conditions under which members have to ; work in an ill-ven-tilated Chamber. The Minister was not in favour of spending moro money 1 on the present Chamber, in view of the possibility that the new building, would be roady in ,twelvo months or . thereabouts. ... Monibera - asked also for concessions," as they 'callcd them. Several repeated tho complaint about correspondence, which they found so heavy, and asked that somo' secretarial assistance should be provided for them. They asked, too, for moro privileges' in the way of free postago, freo telegrams, free 'telephones, and allowances for expenses when travelling on alleged public business in the recess. A long discussion was, provoked , by tin insistent demand by Mr. Hindmarsh that the Parliamentary Library should bo thrown open to tho public. Ho was very emphatic and unsparing in his 'criticism of thoso who would not .part with privileges, and for his pains he .was rebuked roundly, and Mr, Ell accused him of electioneering. The Minister said there, was probably not another member in tho House who did not realise that tliero were insuperable difficulties in the way of Mr. Hindmarsli's proposal.. The Legislative Department Class waa passed immediately after the House resumed at 10 p.m. Departments of "Finance, tho next class, occupied tho ■House for Only a -quarter of an hour. Consideration of the Post and Telegraph Department Estimates .was postponed. 'From 10.15 onwards tho House was engaged upon tho Railway Estimates. Mr. W. H. D. Bell and Dr. Newman put forward a strong plea for better train facilities for people living along tlio Manav.-atu' line,. but scoured no promiso of immediate' redress from tho Minister. • Mr. Homes' said that as a new Minister for Railways ho considered it his duty first of all to dealwith the demands of employees befOro panting concessions to the general public. Ho would try to satisfy tlio First Division as lie had satisfied the Second Division last year. Ono interesting statement made by tho Minister was that he hoped noxfc year to bring In a Bill to borrow enough money to provido adequate station accommodation at Wellinfton and a number of othor centres. . Tho railways class was passed at 1.50 a.m. Tho Houbo rose one minute later. ■ \